UAAP volleyball commissioner Otie Camangian said on Wednesday the referees were right in slapping a violation on De La Salle at matchpoint, allowing Ateneo to win the match on Wednesday and force a winner-take-all match for the title.
With Ateneo at matchpoint, 16-15, a double violation was called on the floor against La Salle setter Kim Fajardo as the Lady Eagles completed a comeback from 8-12 down in the fifth set to win a highly emotional Game Three, 25-21, 25-23, 18-25, 16-25, 17-15.
They Said It!
“The referees were very fair. May violation talaga." UAAP volleyball commissioner Otie Camangian
La Salle coach Ramil De Jesus was seen complaining about the call to no avail as the Lady Eagles completed a fightback from 8-12 down in the deciding set and forced a rubber match for the UAAP crown on Saturday at the Mall of Asia Arena.
But Camangian defended the match officials, saying they were right in calling a double violation on Fajardo after seeing the replay of the action in the television broadcast.
“There was a violation, definitely,” said Camangian, also the secretary general of the Philippine Volleyball Federation.
Camangian said Fajardo actually committed two violations on the play.
“Dalawa lang ‘yan. It’s either double or illegal attack. Kasi back player siya (Fajardo),” said Camangian.
De Jesus refused to speak with reporters after the Game Three defeat as the whole team left in a huff after the loss, which leaves them a win short of a record fourth successive league championship.
Still, the commissioners said the officiating was fair in the match.
“The referees were very fair. May violation talaga. ‘Yung chief referee at ‘yung ibang official, sabi na tama na may violation,” said Camangian.
Despite insisting that the call was right based on what he saw in the television replay, Camangian assured that he will review the match again on video to see the incident.
“Babalikan ko. Pero sa replay, meron talagang violation,” said Camangian.
Camangian also said the match cannot be placed under protest since the referee's decision in question was a judgement call and not a technicality.
“It’s a judgement call,” said Camangian.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph